Berryman, 69, said that in the coming months he will be looking for the brightest leader board members can find.

"Someone who can help initiate new goals and take us within five years at or above state levels in all the major benchmarks," Berryman said.

Berryman said the new superintendent needs to set higher expectations for academic achievement in the district.

Stewart, 69, already has some plans. Each week he plans to meet with principals and teachers from three schools.

Next week, he will start by meeting with officials and teachers from Kathleen, Lakeland high schools and Harrision Center for the Visual and Performing Arts. He said he plans to bring people's concerns back to the board.

Stewart said he will stay on until a new superintendent is found.

"It could be three months, seven months, nine months," said Stewart, 69. "Whatever it takes for them to find the proper person to lead the Polk County Schools."

Stewart, who lives in Lake Ashton, was appointed superintendent in Polk in 1983 after the death of Clem Churchwell. At the time, the superintendent was an elected position, and Stewart was re-elected three times. He resigned in 1996.

In August 2011, Stewart was hired as interim superintendent in Pinellas County after the Pinellas School Board fired Julie Janssen. Stewart stayed on as interim superintendent for 13 months.

Stewart had worked as deputy superintendent in Pinellas from 2000 to 2003.

After the swearing-in, Polk County School Board members voted 7-0 to keep Hazel Sellers on as board chair.

Mullenax, 65, and Lori Cunningham, 51, also were sworn in. After the swearing-in, Cunningham nominated Sellers for board chair.

She said keeping Sellers as chair will provide stability to employees and board members.

After Sellers was selected chair, Board Member Kay Fields was elected vice chair in a 7-0 vote.

[ John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-802-7588. ]

<p>BARTOW | The real work begins now that Interim Superintendent John Stewart and new and current board members were sworn in Tuesday.</p><p>Board members will meet at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Jim Miles Center, 5204 U.S. 98 South, to discuss Stewart's goals and the superintendent's search.</p><p>The swearing-in ceremony was at Polk County School District offices in Bartow.</p><p>Board Member Dick Mullenax said Stewart will be a stabilizing force while they search for a new leader.</p><p>Mullenax didn't specify what he will be looking for in a superintendent but he did say that an increased amount of diversity in the district is important.</p><p>"We need more Hispanic and African-American teachers," Mullenax said. "Our demographics (in Polk) have changed a lot."</p><p>Board Member Hunt Berryman was the only new member to be sworn in.</p><p>Berryman, 69, said that in the coming months he will be looking for the brightest leader board members can find.</p><p>"Someone who can help initiate new goals and take us within five years at or above state levels in all the major benchmarks," Berryman said.</p><p>Berryman said the new superintendent needs to set higher expectations for academic achievement in the district.</p><p>Stewart, 69, already has some plans. Each week he plans to meet with principals and teachers from three schools.</p><p>Next week, he will start by meeting with officials and teachers from Kathleen, Lakeland high schools and Harrision Center for the Visual and Performing Arts. He said he plans to bring people's concerns back to the board.</p><p>Stewart said he will stay on until a new superintendent is found.</p><p>"It could be three months, seven months, nine months," said Stewart, 69. "Whatever it takes for them to find the proper person to lead the Polk County Schools."</p><p>Stewart, who lives in Lake Ashton, was appointed superintendent in Polk in 1983 after the death of Clem Churchwell. At the time, the superintendent was an elected position, and Stewart was re-elected three times. He resigned in 1996.</p><p>In August 2011, Stewart was hired as interim superintendent in Pinellas County after the Pinellas School Board fired Julie Janssen. Stewart stayed on as interim superintendent for 13 months.</p><p>Stewart had worked as deputy superintendent in Pinellas from 2000 to 2003.</p><p>After the swearing-in, Polk County School Board members voted 7-0 to keep Hazel Sellers on as board chair.</p><p>Mullenax, 65, and Lori Cunningham, 51, also were sworn in. After the swearing-in, Cunningham nominated Sellers for board chair.</p><p>She said keeping Sellers as chair will provide stability to employees and board members.</p><p>After Sellers was selected chair, Board Member Kay Fields was elected vice chair in a 7-0 vote.</p><p> </p><p>[ John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-802-7588. ]</p>